Jack.



T. B. HATCH.

JACK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5,1916.

1 95 1 D Patented J une 12, 1917.

TRACY B. HATCH, OF SOUTH PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

TACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 191?.

Application filed July 5, 1918. Serial No. 107,487.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TRACY B. HATCH, a citizen of the United States,residing at South Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles, State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Jacks, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for raising heavy bodies; such asjacks for raising automobiles and the like. And the invention consistsprimarily in the provision of means for utilizing and expanding fiuid asthe motive power in the jack or the like.

lit is a primary object of this invention to provide a simple andeflicient mechanism for raising heavy bodies without the use of manualpower and without the use of power derived from some exterior source.

I explain my invention as applied particularly to an automobile jack,but it will be understood that my invention is not limited to thisparticular and specific use. In such a preferred specific embodiment ofmy invention, I provide a suitable cylinder and plunger, one movablewith relation to the other. Preferably the plunger is adapted to bemoved upwardly bythe pressure of gases generated by an explosivesubstance; and the explosive substance is preferably provided in theform of a cap or shell. Means are also provided for catching and holdingthe plunger at its highest position; and means are further provided forinitially adjusting the height of the jack so as to adjust the upper endof the plunger, or the shoe carried thereby, against the underside ofthe body to be raised.

The. features of my invention will :be readily understood from thefollowing specification wherein I explain the details of a preferredform of embodiment of my inv vention, references being had to theaccompanying drawings in which:

The figure is a vertical longitudinal section of a preferred form ofautomobile jack embodying my invention.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates any suitable base in and onwhich I place a cylinder 11. This cylinder 11 is the one which I referto as being relatively stationary; but it is slightly verticallyadjustable in the base 10 and is held at difi'erent heights by means ofa pawl 12 which engages with teeth 13 on the exterior of cylinder 11.

The cylinder 11 has a longitudinal vertical bore 14, in which a plunger15 fits as tightly as is consistent with free vertical motion. The majorportion of this plunger is provided with free vertical motion. The ma orportion of this plunger is provided with annular grooves 16 of such formthat a shoulder 16 is formed at the upper side of each groove adapted tobe engaged by the spring pressed pawl 17. When the plunger movesupwardly this pawl 17 catches under a shoulder 16 and prevents theplunger returning downwardly. The upper end of the plunger carries asuitable shoe 20; and it is the function of the adjustment at 13 to movethis shoe 20 up against the body to be raised, as the axle of anautomobile, before the device is operated to force the plunger l5upwardly in the cylinder bore 1 1.

The lower end of plunger 15 is provided with a bore 21 adapted toreceive a percussion cap or shell 22. When the plunger is in its normalposition, the shell 22 is in operative relation to the firing pin 23.This firing pin is vertically movable in the lower end of the cylinder11, its upward movement being caused by operation of a small foot lever24, pivoted at 25. A sharp downward pressure of the foot on lever 2rcauses movement of the firing pin and detonation of the shell. The gasescreated by the detonationexpand first in the lower end of the bore 1 1,and force the plunger 15 upwardly. The lower part of the plunger 15 isprovided with circumferential grooves 26 which materially impede leakageof the gases upwardly around the plunger; and the annular grooves at 16also have this same eifect.

The nature and amount of the explosive charge may be so regulated that,with a given weight to be raised, the plunger will be moved upwardly toa certain definite height; but in no case will the charge be heavyenough to carry the plunger completely out of the cylinder 11. But inorder to insure the plunger from being projected too far upwardly,especially where the jack may be used for hoisting bodies of variousweights, I provide an exhaust port at 30 of sufficient capacity toexhaust the ases quickly immediately the lower end of the plunger haspassed the port. This insures that the lower end of the plunger will notmove much above the port.

There are several advantages obtained by placing the shell in the lowerend of the plunger. The shell is automatically removed from the bore bythe explosion; and the'insertion of a new shell involves only the simpleoperation of entirely withdrawing the plunger and placing the shellwithin the bore 21. Placing the shell in the end of the plunger, andtherefore within the chamber where the explosion takes place, makes itunnecessary to use any kind of breech-lock, as would be the case werethe shell inserted in the ordinary manner.

It is an inherent advantage in my apparatus that it entirely does awaywith the manual labor usually attending the raising of an automobile orthe like; and my device has further advantages of simplicity andcheapness of construction and simplicity of use and operation.

Having described a invention I claim:

1. A jack embodying a. relatively stationary cylinder and a removableplunger therein, means to hold an explosive charge in the plunger, andmeans to detonate the charge.

2. A jack embodying a relatively stationary cylinder and a movable andremovable plunger therein, means to adjustably support the cylinder,means to hold an explosive charge in the end of the plunger, and meansto detonate the charge.

3. A jack embodying a relatively stationary cylinder and a movable orremovable plunger therein, means to catch and hold the plunger againstdownward movement, means to hold an explosive charge in the end of theplunger, and means to detonate the charge.

4. A jack embodying an upright relatively stationary cylinder and aplunger therein, adapted to move upwardly in the cylinder, means tohold-the plunger against downward movement while allowin its upwardmovement, means for adjusta ly supporting the cylinder, and means tocause ex pansion of a fluid in the cylinder below the plunger.

5. A jack embodying an upright relatively stationary cylinder and aplunger therein projecting from the upper end of the cylinder,ratchetmeans to catch and hold the plunger against downward movement,means for adjustably supporting the cylinder, the lower end of theplunger having a bore for reception of an explosive shell, and firingmeans carried by the cylinder in operative relation to a shell in saidplunger bore.

6. A jack embodying an upright relatively stationary cylinder, ratchetmeans to preferred form of my catch and hold the plunger againstdownward movement, means for adgustab'ly supporting the cylinder, saidmeans embodying ratchet teeth on the exterior of the cylinder and astationary pawl adapted to engage said ratchet teeth, the lower end ofthe plunger having a bore for reception of an explosive shell, a firingpin carried by the cylinder in operative relation to a shell in saidplunger bore, and means to actuate said firing pin.

7. A jack embodying a relatively stationary cylinder and a plungertherein, the cylinder having an exhaust port through its wall at a pointsomewhat above the normal position of the lower end of the plunger,means to hold an explosive charge in the end of the plunger, and meansto detonate the charge.

8. A jack embodying a stationary base, an upright cylinder verticallyadjustable on said base, means for adjustably supporting the cylinderembodying ratchet teeth in the exterior of the cylinder and a pawlmounted on the base, the cylinder having an exhaust port near its upperend and being closed at its lower end, a plunger in the cylinderprojecting from the upper end thereof, annular shoulders around theplunger, a pawl carried on the upper end of the cylinder to engage undersaid shoulders to hold the plunger from downward movement, the plungerhaving a shell receiving bore in its lower end, a firing pin in thelower end of the cylinder in operative relation to a shell in said bore,and manually operable means to actuate said firing pin.

9. A jack, embodying two members in the form of a cylinder and plungerone of which is relatively stationary and the other relatively movable,means to detonate an explosive charge in the cylinder to cause relativemovement of the cylinder and plunger, and means to prevent relativemovement of the cylinder and plunger opposite to that caused by theexplosive action.

10. A jack embodying two relatively movable members in the form ofcylinder and plunger, means to adjustably support one of said members.means to detonate an explosive charge between the members to causerelative movement of the members. and means to prevent relative movementof the two members opposite to that caused by the explosive action.

In witness that 1 claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 28th day of June, 1916.

TRACY B. HATCH.

